Wil Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) I'm looking to get a small (15 to 30 watt) combo, for home recording and potential band use. I prefer british voiced amps, and I don't really need an overdrive channel, I figure I can use pedals if I want any serious dirt. I love the Fender Twin sound but a twin would be both too expensive and too loud. So far I've been thinking of something like a Vox AC15, Orange Dual Terror, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (or maybe Blues Junior?)... that's about all I have so far, anything else I should consider? My budget is probably £400 or so (looking at used amps). Edited January 10, 2012 by Wil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Thudmaster May Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I've a Cornford Roadhouse 30 for sale! £425 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Keep an eye out for a Rivera R30 on the secondhand market. They usually go for around the £350 - £400 mark ,which is a serious bargain for a US built boutique amp. I used to have one & it was a fantastic amp: Twin channel 1x12 thirty watt all valve combo. The two channels are roughly voiced Marshall/Hiwatt (crunch/overdrive) & Fender (clean). Absolutely beautiful clean sounds from it - I used to use it with my Gretsch 6120 & with a touch of reverb is was stunning. Beautiful sounding amp I only sold mine as I no longer had room for a guitar amp & a bass amp (should have sold the bass amp to be honest) & really regret letting it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 (edited) I've got an 18w Martamp hand built by a guy who used to work for Matamp based on a 1950's Watkins Dominator that's for sale. Link in my sig. Price negotiable Edited January 10, 2012 by andydye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1326195830' post='1493505'] Keep an eye out for a Rivera R30 on the secondhand market. They usually go for around the £350 - £400 mark ,which is a serious bargain for a US built boutique amp. I used to have one & it was a fantastic amp: Twin channel 1x12 thirty watt all valve combo. The two channels are roughly voiced Marshall/Hiwatt (crunch/overdrive) & Fender (clean). Absolutely beautiful clean sounds from it - I used to use it with my Gretsch 6120 & with a touch of reverb is was stunning. Beautiful sounding amp I only sold mine as I no longer had room for a guitar amp & a bass amp (should have sold the bass amp to be honest) & really regret letting it go. [/quote] Sounds right up my alley, cheers, I'll keep an eye out for one. The Cornford and Matamp are interesting but above my budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Wem Dominator 15W. Just right for a not TOO loud band. Well within budget, though quite big and heavy. Trace Elliot Speed Twin c30 IF you can find one! Scored one for my guitarist for £325 a couple of years ago - lovely tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I`d prob check out the Fender Blues Junior before anything else. Reviews on Harmony Central - loads of them - all seem very positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 definately have a go with the Fenders and see what you think, they are very nice but i found them just too loud, great tone but i couldn't get the tones i wanted at low enough volumes. i ended up with a tiny terror and a 1x12 cab (fender with a celestion neo) if you want a brit tone keep your eyes peeled for the Marshall JTM30 series (30w available with various speakers), should be well within your budget and they'e a lovely amp, i've got it's biggest brother the JTM622 (60w 2x12) and it's wonderful, mine has a lovely ac30 type growl when cranked, even my tech was impressed (i think he bothered the neighbours with if for quite a while) they've also got master volumes so very easy to dial in the right tone at a sensible volume. another option might be the smaller Laney amps (lc and vc series) very cheap and with good valves (and possibly an upgraded speaker) they sound very nice. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 I had fender a while back, clean lovely, didn't like the break up when playing with slightly bluesy dirt, I then switched to a Marshall DSL50 which was great but sounded like everybody else so I had Martin at Martamp build me my Roadstar TT which is 18w of vintage Brit sound, a real cracker! More babies means downsizing the kit so it's got to go as I don't play it. I only got to use it a handful of times at most and it's sat unused for about 18 months until the other night when I fired it up and remembered why I'd had it built...alas still got to go :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 guitarist in my band had a big 2x12 deville hotrod fender thing. Sounded good. we toured with a band for a few shows and helped each other with load in and out- they had a blues jr. sounded almost the same by time it was mic'ed - except better as could be cranked a bit more, and weighed hardly anything compared to the big one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1326203512' post='1493715'] guitarist in my band had a big 2x12 deville hotrod fender thing. Sounded good. we toured with a band for a few shows and helped each other with load in and out- they had a blues jr. sounded almost the same by time it was mic'ed - except better as could be cranked a bit more, and weighed hardly anything compared to the big one [/quote] This is what I'm thinking - my last amp was a DSL 100 and it barely got turned above half. Unfortunately it sounds best dimed on the clean channel, by which point it's ear splitting, just overkill 99% of the time. Thanks for all the suggestions everyone, lots to consider! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Guitarist in my old band went from a DSL100 to a Blues Jr, sounded great and if you're in a band where everybody is sensible with the volume controls then it's got plenty beef to carry through. Used it without PA support for a few small room gigs, in a 3 vocal/3 elec/1 acoustic/drums+bass set up and it was fine. Other guitarists were also using small amps too mind you (Fender Pro Jr, Cornell Romany) so I guess it depends what you're up against! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Throwing a spanner in the works and recommending a Bugera B30-212. The V-55 is also a nice little amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Fender Blues Junior, upgrade speaker to whatever suits you. You may want to get the mid tone stack modded so you can cut mid out 100%, depending on what speaker you go for. Check out BillM site for mods and speaker recommendations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 A Peavey Classic 30. About £250 secondhand. Brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 +1 on the Blues Jr, had a guitarist dep in my band with one and it sounded superb. 1970's silverface Fender amps like the Champ and Vibrochamp are well worth considering also. Have heard good things about the Peavey Classic but never tried one. Trace tube amps are a real bargain as has been suggested and I think some of them offer dual power settings. Would it be worth taking a look at Hayden amps? (Ashdown's guitar equivalent) If someone out there could make a reasonably priced Fender Super Champ, I'd be on it like a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colledge Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 my guitarist just got a marshall class 5, well he won it. its a nice little amp actually. sounds a bit thinner than his gigging setup, but that might just be because its a smaller amp / smaller speaker. breaks up nicely and has a pure blues tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 [quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1326224066' post='1494117'] A Peavey Classic 30. About £250 secondhand. Brilliant. [/quote] This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Laney LC15 for modern cranked up overdrive or VC15 for classic old school warm stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 The Peavey Classic 30 looks like a good bet - well priced, sounds decent, good size. Looks pretty cool too! I've been watching a few amp demos on youtube and it hasn't really helped - my favourite tones so far have been produced by the Vox AC30, and those are a few hundred over my budget at least even used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'm another one to say Blues Junior. With the mods from the [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] BillM site it really goes from a great little amp to a stunning amp. Light, portable and loud enough to gig. Mine has an upgraded speaker and reverb tank. It's my favourite guitar amp[/font][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 I'd love to hear one of these: http://www.thomann.de/gb/traynor_darkhorse.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 [quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1326282750' post='1494821'] I'd love to hear one of these: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/traynor_darkhorse.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...r_darkhorse.htm[/url] [/quote] Very cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike257 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 [quote name='Wil' timestamp='1326282159' post='1494806'] I've been watching a few amp demos on youtube and it hasn't really helped - my favourite tones so far have been produced by the Vox AC30, and those are a few hundred over my budget at least even used. [/quote] I just missed a nearly-new AC30CC2 that went for £375 on ebay a few weeks ago, and it was 15 minutes from my house. Gutted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted January 11, 2012 Author Share Posted January 11, 2012 There's a Peavey Delta Blues near me that looks interesting, are they similar to the Classic 30? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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